France will destroy IS, says Hollande

David Mercer
– 17 November 2015 02:30 AM

VERSAILLES, FRANCE - NOVEMBER 16: French President Francois Hollande delivers a speech during an exceptional joint gathering of both of the French houses of parliament on November 16, 2015 in Versailles, France. During his speech, the French President expressed his commitment to "destroying" Islamic State (IS), following Friday's terrorist attacks which left at least 129 people dead and hundreds more injured. (Photo by Thierry Chesnot/Getty Images)

France is committed to “destroying” the so-called Islamic State, Francois Hollande has said.

The French president said he would table a bill to extend the state of emergency declared after the attacks for three months and would suggest changes to the constitution.

France’s military campaign against IS in Iraq and Syria will also be stepped up.

IS says it carried out Friday’s attacks on bars, restaurants, a concert hall and a stadium in which 129 people died.

Speaking during a joint session of both houses of parliament yesterday, Mr Hollande said the constitution needed to be amended as “we need an appropriate tool we can use without having to resort to the state of emergency”.

“These acts of war have been decided and planned in Syria,” he said

Other measures he said would be pursued include:

* 5,000 extra police posts in the next two years and no new cuts in the defence budget

* Making it easier to strip dual nationals of their French citizenship if they are convicted of a terrorist offence, as long as this did not render them stateless

* Speeding up the deportation of foreigners who pose “a particularly grave threat to the security of the nation”

Mr Hollande said he planned to meet US President Barack Obama and Russian President Vladimir Putin in the coming days to discuss action against the group.